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Superior looks to extend election season in response to mail-in, early voting

Advocates say candidates need time to plant campaign signs

By John Aguilar Camera Staff Writer

Posted:
01/14/2013 10:28:21 PM MST

Updated:
01/14/2013 10:28:49 PM MST

While complaints abound over protracted political campaigns that seem to drag on forever, Superior considered an ordinance Monday that would extend the length of its election season by more than two weeks.

The Board of Trustees discussed the possibility of lengthening the time candidates can place campaign signs in the public right-of-way from the current 30 days before an election to 45 days.

The measure is designed to allow candidates more time to get their names out in an electoral climate that has seen increasing numbers of voters completing their ballots well ahead of Election Day, by mail or in early voting.

"With the ability of folks to mail in their ballots in mid-October rather than wait until Election Day, it makes sense to look at this," said Beth Moyski, assistant town manager.

But a couple of trustees expressed concern about lengthening the time the town's sidewalks and medians would be decorated with campaign placards. Trustee Elia Gourgouris said the proliferation of candidate signs along roadways during the election season can create "clutter."

"It's visually polluting," he said Monday.

Two men who were ticketed by the Boulder County Sheriff's Office last fall on suspicion of misdemeanor theft after they were caught stealing political signs from Superior's public right-of-way told officers they were just trying to eliminate litter from the roadways. In all, more than 100 campaign signs disappeared from sidewalks and street corners in the town last fall.

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Superior is the only municipality in Boulder County that allows election signs in the public right-of-way. Other communities allow them on private property with the property owner's consent.

Mayor Pro Tem Joe Cirelli joked that extending Superior's election season could invite more of the civic discord seen last year.

"After this year's experience, any day longer is a day too much," he said.

In an interview earlier in the day, Trustee Debra Williams said she understands concerns about the potential for election signs to become electoral eyesores throughout the town of 12,500. But she said for democracy to work in Superior, candidates have to be able to get their names out into the public consciousness.

Williams had more than 70 of her signs go missing in early October.

"I don't like the idea of more clutter for a longer period of time, but the mail-in ballots go out pretty early," she said. "That only allows candidates to have their signage out for a couple of weeks before those who send in mail-in ballots have voted."

Trustee Lisa Skumatz suggested that it might make more sense to link the beginning of election season in Superior to the date that mail-in ballots actually go out, in case that date changes from year to year.

In the end, the board pushed for a minimum 30-day window before an election during which candidates can plant signs. It also said the town should allow candidates to display signs in the 15 days leading up to the county sending out mail-in ballots to voters, whether that falls within the 30-day minimum or not. Signs will still have to be removed two days after an election.

The board will take up the issue on a second reading at its next meeting Jan. 28.

Steve Smith, who ran unsuccessfully for a trustee seat in November, said he hoped the campaign season in Superior would not be given extra life. He said signs should not be a substitute for voters studying the candidates and issues and voting based on the facts.

"People are responding emotionally to elections, not logically," he said.

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